SECOND-HALF woe befell City of York Hockey Club men’s first XI.

They lost 3-1 to visiting Durham University seconds to again be left searching for their first win of the North League premier division campaign.

The students took the lead via a powerful short corner which deflected off post-man Paul Helmsley into the net.

City restored parity when Mike Carter replied with a short corner just before half-time.

The hosts could not find the spark they had in the first half. Despite going close a couple of times, they were soon behind again.

The students capped a poor second half for the City boys when they added a third goal with only a few minutes to go.

City of York II were downed 6-0 by table-topping Yorkshire League premier division hosts Leeds Gryphons II.

The well-drilled students were in front in the opening few minutes, but City went close to an equaliser through Dan Tompkins and Pat Herriott, before Leeds hit City on the break to double the lead.

Shortly before the interval Leeds went 3-0 up with an unstoppable reverse stick effort.

York produced a doughty shift in the second half led by David Clamp and Peter Perryman, but were hit by another three unanswered goals from the Gryphons.

After last week’s impressive win over a tough Huddersfield side, City of York III suffered another division two narrow loss, perishing to a solitary goal from Brigg II.

At full strength, York began brightly. But after 20 minutes York produced their trademark flaw of yielding possession in a dangerous area for Brigg to beat ’keeper Brian Ignjatovic, despite Joe Moisley trying desperately to help.

York responded well and were the better team in the second half, but could not breach a defiant visiting defence.

Dominic Firth, Tim Lister and Alex Herriott were dominant and an equaliser was thwarted when Lister’s strike was ruled out as he was deemed to have touched the ball with his foot when tackled by a Brigg defender.

The loss sees York on only seven points, just two shy of the relegation zone.

Greg Sykes was impressive with a four-goal haul in City of York IV’s 6-3 division three conquest of York University seconds.

After an early goal was erased by a students leveller, York went 5-1 up just after half-time.

The Uni visitors replied with two goals, but City of York had the final say. Sykes’ haul was supplemented by goals from Danny Vaughan and Will Broadbent.

It was a day to forget at Bradford where City of York V were trounced 10-2, though after trailing 8-0 at half-time, there was a genuine improvement after the re-start to the division four north clash.

In the same division, a spirited first-half in which City of York VI led visiting Boston Spa firsts through a James Hogg goal, went awry with two unanswered goals.

City of York VII were shaded 5-3 by Ben Rhydding VI in division five north.

Two penalty corners enabled the visitors to open up a 2-0 lead before the returning Rob Wise put Richard Tanner-Smith through to halve the deficit.

York were hit by a blitz early in the second half as the Rhydding ranks went 4-1 up.

Andy Potts countered with a goal from a well-worked short corner, but the visitors struck for the fifth time before a late reply from James Gibbon.

Without a recognised goalkeeper and down to just ten players, City of York VIII crashed 10-0 at Halifax IV in division six north.

The York ranks gallantly kept the score down to 2-0 in the first-half, but numerical superiority then told to devastating effect, especially as York had two players yellow-carded.